weston culture » quote

“Simplify! Simplify! Simplify!”: Apparently Henry David Thoreau said …

trish — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:54:49 +0000

Apparently Henry David Thoreau said,

“Our life is frittered away by detail… Simplify, simplify, simplify! … Simplicity of life and elevation of purpose.”

It’s hard to believe that lives could be complicated in Thoreau’s time (1870s I believe?). His statement, however, is ripe for our times and I have a hunch that the mantra of “Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.” is going to be uttered by many over the next few years. It’s quite a paradox that simplifying one’s life isn’t always a simple thing. First, we’ve got to get rid of the material junk – all those toys, gadgets, and THINGS that we once thought were so essential and going to make us happy happy happy. But they just made us broke. And stressed.

And then, once we ditch the physical crap we have to get rid of the beliefs, behaviours, relationships that really do not enhance our lives. As Mies Van De Rohe said, less is more. And Thoreau lets us in on a possible “more”: Purpose. When we clear away the crap, why we are here and what we are here to do begins to shine through.

Apparently Benjamin Disraeli said

trish — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:53:16 +0000

Apparently Benjamin Disraeli said,

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own.”

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about Self-Determination Theory which is all about how we need to have choices and feel capable of acting on those choices for our well-being. And yet so often, we do not see our own potential, our riches or the opportunities around us. So, rather than giving money for a community well to be built by an outside contractor, let the community see they have the resources to build their own well – which they will stand back from when it’s completed and say, “Look, we did it ourselves.”

I know words like “agency” and “empowering” have gone out of fashion, but I think they underlie all sustainable change.

Oh, and yes, the other bit of the quote… Of course, imagine a world where everyone had agency AND we all shared our riches. Imagine what could be possible.

Apparently, Audre Lorde said

trish — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:36:07 +0000

Apparently, Audre Lorde said,

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”

Thus spake the woman who took the name, Gamba Adisa, which apparently means “she who makes her meaning clear”. And it was clear. Lorde educated many feminists (particularly white feminists) in the language of oppression that crosses gender, race, class and sexuality. Strength, vision, no fear, power. So simple. So powerful.

Apparently, William McDonough said

trish — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:36:58 +0000

Apparently, William McDonough said,

“Design is the first signal of human intention”

I like this quote from the renowned architect as I’m fascinated by design. Buildings, furniture, molecules, life: the patterns, interconnectivity, processes keep me amused for hours. But I wonder if design really is the first signal of human intention.

If you look at the process of human change (which is what intention precedes), then the first sign that something might shift is the realisation that something’s not right, or, things can be different. And then, depending on resources and situation, you will decide to act or not. So, I think something akin to cognitive dissonance or an awareness of a gap between what is desired and what is reality, is the beginning or first signal of intention. And then sometimes, design follows. And sometimes, action.

Awareness. Design. Action. And then back to the beginning, like a Kolb Cycle.

Apparently the Chinese proverb says

trish — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:12:22 +0000

Apparently the Chinese proverb says,

One joy shatters a hundred griefs.

Let me be the bringer of the one joy.

Apparently, Ralph Waldo Emerson said

trish — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:50:05 +0000

Apparently Ralph Waldo Emerson said,

“This time like all times is a very good one if we but know what to do with it”

What to do? What to do? A question that’s on the minds of many at the moment. Stay put and hope for the best? Start working on Plan B?

I’m working on Plan B.

And C.

And D.

And if they don’t work then let’s see what emerges and adapt. It won’t stop me enjoying this moment I have now.

Apparently, Deepak Chopra said

trish — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:29:49 +0000

Apparently, Deepak Chopra said,

“We have gotten into the habit of spending money we haven’t earned, to buy things we don’t need, to impress people that we don’t like. So get rid of that habit.”

Habits have been on my mind lately, so when I happened upon Chopra’s quote after writing the post about habits earlier in the week, I had to share it. I love how Chopra reduces our whole modern raison d’etre to a habit – like we can just simply change everything we believe life to be about and adjust our behaviours accordingly. But then, maybe we can?

Apparently, William James said

trish — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:28:49 +0000

Apparently, William James said, “A new idea is first condemned as ridiculous and then dismissed as trivial, until finally, it becomes what everybody knows”.

Wow. The father of psychology has neatly summed up how I feel about Twitter at the moment. I resisted it for so long, thought it was an utter waste of time and now I think I’m finally getting it. Along with 10 million other people. Follow me?

Apparently, Andy Warhol said

trish — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:10:17 +0000

Apparently, Andy Warhol said, “Being good in business is the most fascinating art”.

I love how Warhol refers to business as an art. Business is usually presented as this rational, hard-headed thing – and it rarely is. Being good in business? He’s right. That is an art.

Apparently, Albert Einstein said

trish — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:24:09 +0000

Apparently, Albert Einstein said,

“Not everything that counts can be counted”

Sometimes the most important things in life cannot be quantified. How can you measure love? How can you measure joy? I know people are now quantifying and measuring happiness but do we really need to put a number on it?